Atupele says Malawi needs strong opposition: UDF, DPP to maintain alliance

September 1, 2020 Nyasa Times Reporter 26 Comments

It is in the interest of Malawi democracy to have a strong opposition for checks and balance, United Democratic Front (UDF) president Atupele Muluzi has said, disclosing that his party will maintain its alliance with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) up to the next general election.

Atupele Muluzi: Malawi needs a strong and effective opposition

Muluzi—who was running mate for former president Peter Mutharika in the court-ordered June 23 Fresh Presidential Election—said the role of opposition  is as important as that of the governing.

He said the opposition ensures that the ruling political parties have a definite programme and policy to offer to the people and who can show a progressive path by action and not just by propaganda.

“Malawi needs a strong and effective opposition. The UDF and DPP working together provide that alternative voice,” said Muluzi.

Muluzi, who is son to former president Bakili Muluzi, said the role of the opposition is not to oppose every decision of the government. Rather, it is the duty of the opposition to support government for the acts that are in the interest of the nation.

“Political parties must aspire to play a constructive role rather than a detrimental one,” he pointed out.

On the DPP-UDF alliance, governance analyst Makhumbo Munthali tipped Muluzi to embark on a rebuilding exercise of his party.

Munthali said UDF should conduct “a post-mortem of why the party’s popularity has been dwindling over time despite being in partnership with DPP.”

Political observers say UDF needs to strengthen its ground base and need a new approach.

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26 replies on “Atupele says Malawi needs strong opposition: UDF, DPP to maintain alliance”

  1. Atupele you will not lead Malawi as no Malawian wants a Muluzi. Remember you don’t have a Parliamentary seat. So where will you oppose Tonse? Maybe in your dreams you product of nepotism. Matola should have led UDF. But your thieving father Bakili engineered your win.

  2. Atupele you need to remain silent. For every time you open your mouth we are reminded of the Father of Corruption Bakili Muluzi.

  5. For Democracy to be strong, Iam of the view that the 50%+1 should serve it’s intended purpose whereby individual parties should contest elections without being in alliances. This definately will live two strong parties to finally contest on rerun. Smaller parties with representations in parliament will contribute effectively. In the current situation, these smaller parties have weakened democracy for they have been swallowed in the alliances.

  6. What Atupele has said is 100% correct; though the alliance with the DPP is what is slowly eating up his party (UDF). So, be careful young man.

  8. Foolish man and selfish. He is a sellout never will he receive stolen cash again anakwera yokuphwa. He never think about tomorrow.

  11. Atupele Baby Bakili putting up a bravado. Good your political road is rugged and your voice is another faint echo. A strong opposition while you’re not even a parliamentarian all this is dripping without thinking through the whole issue. Your platform has been eaten away by the blue DPP termites. Desperation will drive you into the arms of the Tonse Alliance. Your political journey is mired in a lot of uncertainties the home base has little confidence in your moves courtesy the 2019 parliamentary results

  12. Bakili Muluzi is now eating his own vomit. He used to boast that olo atamuthira doom mkamwa sangavotore MCP. He was serious about it and never wanted anyone from the North of Balaka to be a leader of this country and that is why he picked Bingu instead of Malewezi to take over. He regretted this move and amatukwata Bingu everytime and I was there at Chisitu where anachita mwano kwambiri. Where is his UDF? Completely finished and that is why Atupele unilaterally wants to be with DPP. He does not know how Malawians hate udf and dpp for taking the country backwards. Agriculture went down. Schools went down. Health system went down. The roads became bad. The environment became heavily degraded. Everything change from better to worse. We need new kids on the block and not udf and dpp again.

  13. For as long as Bebe Atupele remains president of UDF, forget about a strong and revived UDF. In this day and age, not many Malawians are interested to blindly follow family led parties. People want to follow leaders who get and sustain their positions through merit (hard work and grit). Examples are SKC and LMC. For this reason, parties like UDF, PP (where mother and son are president and VP respectively) and Aford should forget about scoring any significant achievements towards in the foreseeable future. Malawians are now politically sharp. Si zakubanja izi.

  14. This is contrary to what the UDF SG, Kandi Padambo, said last week that the Alliance with DPP was for the Presidential Election only and that UDF will now go it alone. Who is giving the right information?

  15. The Parlimentry Speaker should immediately vacate all Constituencies that were represented by a UDF or DPP MP’s who have crossed the floor and joined the UTM or MCP party by calling for new election. There is a Precedent to remove such MP’s to maintain strong opposition and the vote of the people.

  16. DPP ate into the UDF stronghold and by maintaining the alliance UDF will not bring back the lost support. UDF should have moved away from the alliance for rebuilding purposes. Remaining in the so-called alliance will not help UDF to reclaim its political base. Come 2025 there will be only 3 political parties namely UTM, DPP and MCP and whichever 2 parties out of these 3 forms an alliance will carry the day regardless of what UDF will do and eventually UDF will be just a footnote on Malawi political parties. Wake up young Muluzi and do the right thing.

    2. Is there nothing OTHER UDF EXECUTIVE MEMBERS can contribute to revive the party, they seem to leave everything to ATUPELE??

  17. He is watching HOT current Times TV- this means the program continues to be relevant! That was Sunday’s topic actually.

  20. Strong opposition, eh? Brave words from “baby”. But he will soon change his tune once his corrupt dad is back in court. I bet the old man is already trying every trick in his arsenal to get in the good graces of the Tonse Alliance — just to stay out of jail.

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